New Buick Enclave’s a legit long-haul cruiser

The 2018 Buick Enclave is powered by a 310 horsepower, 3.6-litre, V6 engine.

The Enclave is Buick’s biggest and most successful crossover, and the all-new, second generation of this popular model is now on sale.

The latest Enclave is larger, more attractive, more intelligent and more glamorous and it stacks up well as a skilled long-haul cruiser that effectively uses some careful calibrations and high-tech touches to appeal to shoppers.

A few things to know. First, Enclave is enormous. There’s little need to worry about having room for just about anything.

Actually, the cabin is almost minivan-like: long, wide, and offering a decent walk-through gap between second- and third-row seats. Even with those third-row seats in use, a decent cargo space remains behind them.

Two captain’s chairs are fitted to the middle seating row, and those entering the rear row need only step in, duck, and stroll past them. Those third-row seats are relatively comfortable, even for adults. Three occupants of your writer’s size (five-foot-10, 200 lbs.) can sit, one behind the next, with space to spare.

Fold those rear seats down and you’ve got a spacious four-seater with a giant cargo capacity, ideal for hauling two couples and their things off to the cottage or the slopes for the weekend.

All said, whether you’ll use Enclave as a people mover or a cargo van, there’s space to do it.

Calm curvaceous display

Enclave is well-equipped for long trips with modern families. (JUSTIN PRITCHARD)

Enclave’s cabin may be its best attribute. The dashboard is the star of the show: A smart central touch screen and clean gauge cluster are embedded within, and a prominent horizontal element enhances the visual sense of width.

There’s a calm curvaceousness that calls flowing water to mind. The centre console melts out of the dash. The grey leather is rich and creamy and so fragrant it leaves its smell on your clothes when you exit.

A heated steering wheel and climate-controlled seats team up with automatic lights, wipers, climate control and even high beams for comfortable, set-it-and-forget-it driving.

Plus, Enclave is well-equipped for long trips with modern families. First, you’re practically tripping over high-output USB charging ports on board. They’re nearly everywhere: no issue keeping mobile electronics charged on the go.

There’s also a household power outlet for, say, powering a laptop. And built-in Wi-Fi to connect that laptop to the internet. On one trip, my passenger was able to stay connected via said laptop and Wi-Fi to their office, and completed a half-day of work while we cruised the highway.

Further, OnStar provides push-button assistance at the touch of a button in case of an issue on the move. There’s even a smartphone app that lets drivers remote start the Enclave from anywhere, or send navigation destinations from their handset to the navigation system for future use.

So, Enclave is a roomy, connected and comfy place for a family or some friends to relax and socialize and even do a little work, with ease, if needed.

Comfort over all

The cabin is great for groups that want to stay fully charged and connected while taking long trips. (JUSTIN PRITCHARD)

Ride quality is aimed toward a comfort-first driver who prefers tranquillity to sportiness. Enclave rolls softly over bumps, the suspension nicely filtering out the finer details of the road beneath.

Tar strips, cracked pavement and even smoother train crossings barely register at all, and mostly, Enclave is like a leather-lined hovercraft that squiggles mildly over even bigger potholes and dips. To about 100 km/h or slightly beyond, it’s quiet enough to have a conversation without voice-raising, too.

Steering has a numb on-centre feel, followed by a firm effort when the wheel is turned. This helps Enclave bite nicely into its lane, and mitigates the need for readjustment and correction.

Most will find it feels responsive but not twitchy. Brakes operate with confidence when worked hard, but a little numbness at the top of the pedal travel means they’re not too touchy.

Driven gently, the 310-horsepower V6 is smooth as silk, mostly inaudible, and hustles the Enclave through city traffic without breaking a sweat or making a peep.

Throttle programming is numbed to smooth power delivery and save fuel, though a good throttle smash results in plenty of pulling power and an eagerness to spin to higher and higher revs.

Power is routed via a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. Mostly, the AWD system is effective and invisible, and it can be turned off when desired to save fuel.

Don’t miss the rear camera mirror system, which uses a rear-mounted camera (with a built-in washer) to display an ultra-wide rear video on a screen embedded in the conventional rear-view mirror.

In tighter quarters, Enclave is more manoeuvrable than you think, and additional cameras add confidence to close-quarters parking.

Keeping context and intentions in mind, I had only one major gripe: the fuel mileage. Though the tester wasn’t broken in, wore winter tires, and was driven in a week of extreme cold, I expected better mileage than the 13.5L/100km I achieved.

Ultimately, consider the Enclave a competent and cavernous cruiser with a healthy dose of handy tech that’s easy to appreciate.